Restorative Justice Pilot aims to change bad driving behaviours

The other day I was listening to a radio talk show about drivers who are texting while driving. One trucker called in to say that from his perch in his rig, which sits well above most vehicles, at times it appears that everyone has a mobile device open, either on their lap or seat, and many of those folks were using said device.

Now, we know it’s biologically impossible to multi-task. Hence – the concern around drivers who are being distracted by social media. I’ve yet to meet someone who can drive without looking at the road ahead.

Recognizing the prevalence of this dangerous this trend, a smart collaboration was formed to counter-attack.

“The Victoria Police Department and Restorative Justice Victoria say it’s the first time in B.C. that people caught using a cellphone while driving had that option instead of a ticket.

Participants, ranging in age from 20s to 60s, were asked to complete cognitive tests that demonstrated how difficult simple tasks become when you’re distracted. They heard personal stories, including those of a retired firefighter who talked about having to pry people out of vehicles in crashes caused by distracted driving.

The session focused on more than just cellphone use, said Karen Bowman (Director, Drop It and Drive), who ran parts of the workshop.

Drivers applying makeup, eating, turning around to check on kids or fussing with a dog on the lap are all distracted and at higher risk of crashing, she said. “If we can make it personally relevant, then we’re going to achieve behaviour change. … We can’t rely on law enforcement to be the only solution to this issue.”…

Frustrated at continuing to see drivers using cellphones behind the wheel, Victoria police Const. Sean Millard came up with the idea for the restorative justice approach…